


What's the plan?

by lildarkone



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 03:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3513437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lildarkone/pseuds/lildarkone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angry and betrayed, Clarke and Octavia struggle to find a way in to save their friends when they get help from an unexpected source.<br/>-=-<br/>My take on what happens after 2x15 so there are some spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's the plan?

“We can’t just sit here,” Octavia snapped, pacing in front of Clarke like a caged animal.  The smeared war paint and streak of blood on her neck added to the crazed look, making Clarke wonder if the young woman was about to snap.

“I know that Octavia, but what exactly do you think we should do?  Our forces are gone, we’ve only got a rifle and a few blades between us and our way in is locked up tight,” Clarke snapped.  She sympathized with the fury, the feeling of helplessness that had settled since the Grounders had left, but the constant pacing was not helping.  Her head hurt from coming up, and ultimately discarding, so many different scenarios to try and save their friends.  It hurt with still trying to process that abrupt betrayal that had created this.  She could not believe that Lexa had turned on her like this.  No that wasn’t right.  She could.  Lexa had said time and again that the good of her people came first above all else and this deal made sure her people were safe.  Screw anyone else.  Clarke just couldn’t believe she had almost fallen for the words and promises that Lexa had offered.  _‘Almost?’_   Her mind scoffed at her.  Though it still ached for Finn, she had not been lying when she said she wasn’t ready yet, but she had found herself leaning towards what could be, with Lexa.  The kiss that they had shared less than a day ago, had started to mend the tattered remains and made Clarke consider that she could find happiness again someday with this woman.  Lexa understood the burdens of leadership, was smart, and fair and compassionate…

She had been an idiot.  Love is weakness.  Lexa had known that and Clarke was suffering for having forgotten.  _‘I made this deal with my head and not my heart.’_   It was not personal, but it felt exactly like that.  She had believed they were together in this, in saving their people, in bearing the weight of responsibility in the war.

But then she became nothing more than a casualty.

Now Bellamy, Jasper, Monty, all those stuck inside were going to pay for Clarke’s mistake.

Snapping twigs had both whirling around, raising gun and blade as they a figure emerge from the shadows in the trees.

“Linc-” Octavia gasped when she saw her lover, shocked at his bloody lip and cheekbone, but stopped short when she saw him bring a finger to his lips.   With a jerk of his head he motioned for them to follow before moving back into the shadows.  Octavia glanced at Clarke before following the Grounder, leaving Clarke to decide what to do.  Why was he back?  How was he back?  They were wasting time, but what other option did she have?

With a breath she followed.

They moved further and further into the forest, twisting and bending until Clarke was unable to tell which direction they now went.  She was almost about to ask if they were lost when Lincoln suddenly dropped down next to a semi cleared space on the forest floor and pulled open a hidden door.  “In here,” He motioned, helping the two down the ladder attached just below before following himself.  They were plunged into darkness, but a quiet shuffling and Lincoln soon had the tunnel illuminated with a torch.  “Let’s go.”

“Lincoln what is going on?  We don’t have time.  We have to save my brother and our friends.”

“Where are you taking us?”

“Keep moving Clarke, I promise we’ll explain everything, but we have to hurry,” Lincoln said as he broke into a jog.

 _‘We?’_   Clarke and Octavia looked at one another in surprise.  However before either could ask Lincoln strode quickly down the tunnel.  They had no choice but to keep moving, plunging further and further into the tunnel until Clarke was unable to tell what direction they were going in anymore.  After what seemed like hours had passed the tunnel hit an incline and they came to a doorway.  Pushing through they came to a cement encased room, with a single ladder leading up to the ceiling.  However it was the occupants that had both girls pulling up short.  Huddled around a dusty table, maps spread out between them, Lexa, Indara, Miller, another Grounder and another of the Ark soldiers, Nolan, were going over plans.

“You!” Clarke snarled, her tension snapping at seeing the source of her fury.  She stormed forward, but was stopped by Lincoln stepping in front of her, bodily blocking her trajectory towards the unmoving Commander.  He didn’t need to look over his shoulder to feel Indra’s hot gaze and know the warrior woman’s hand was clenched ready around her sword.

Clarke pushed back from the man, restraining herself for now as she looked at the others.  To her right Octavia stood, looking equally angry, though it became subdued and tinged with something darker as she glanced at Indra.  “What is going on?”  She asked, understanding Clarke was still too angry to speak evenly.

“We are planning on how to get into Mount Weather to save our people,” Miller said, hobbled from his earlier scuffle but looking ready to go.

“We had a plan.  But then you decided my people were expendable,” Clarke snapped.

For the first time since they had entered Lexa stepped up, coming to stand just a few feet away, though admittedly out of Clarke’s reach.  She understood the anger, but she wasn’t stupid.  “I kept my part in a deal brokered,” She said, her mind flashing to the slaughter that had been the hill.  Covered with gore from enemy and friend alike she had been shocked when Emerson had emerged, offering this deal.  She had had her blade at his throat, ready to kill when he had made the call and a few of her people began to emerge.  The state of them had almost sent the tip of her dagger into the man’s throat, but she kept it steady.

_“Just pull your people back and we’ll let the rest go, simple as that,” Emerson had said._

And so she had, pulling the man down the hill to watch the rest of her people emerge.  The ragged, bandaged, broken state of them had had her fuming, but she had kept steady.

Until she had seen Clarke. 

“I pulled my army back in exchange for the release of my people.  My army is on its way to Polis.  Lincoln, Indra, Echo, and myself are all that remain, though I would have preferred if none of them did.  However they would not listen,” She said, glancing at her soldiers, none of whom appeared repentant.  Lexa returned her gaze to Clarke.  “My people are safe.  Yours are not.  I had made a deal with you, Clarke, to see your people safe.  I will keep to that promise.”

Clarke stared at the young woman, mouth opening and closing as she processed this.  She was still angry, but a part in her mind couldn’t help repeating, _‘She came back.’_    She stuffed that little voice back.  “Won’t they be watching you?  Tracking you somehow to make sure you are keeping to your part of the bargain?”

“I believe that they would wish to keep their forces close with all that is occurring inside.  If however they do decide to check up on us, I have a _dobo fice_ , someone who was made up to look like me in this event,” Lexa answered.  It was one of the lesser known practices of Trikrew command, for a good reason.  Lexa had had to implement it a few times over the years, hating the feeling of cowardice from the hiding, but unable to deny its value.  Especially right now.  She was going to see that her allies were safe.  That Clarke was safe.  Seeing the confusion and anger within Clarke’s eyes was painful, knowing her own actions had put them there was devastating.  The decision to free her people had been simultaneously the easiest and most difficult she’d ever had to make in her life.  They were safe with little loss of life, for her side at least.  But the image of Clarke, eyes watering and looking devastated, is one Lexa knows will stay with her for a long time.  So she is ready to do what she can to make things right.

“If Cage sees you won’t they see it as breaking the treaty?”  Clarke asked next, breaking the silence between the two of them.  Being this close to the Commander was making the already convoluted mess in her mind worse than it already was. 

“They should not have been foolish enough to believe that I would let things lie.  Too long they have used my people as attack dogs and chattel.  My people are far enough away to make sure it will be difficult for them to be captured once more.  But blood must have blood.”

“We must move soon, Commander,” Indra hissed.

“Are you ready to finish this, Clarke?”  Lexa stepped closer now, her face and voice impassioned with purpose while her eyes, for just a moment, softened with plea.  Clarke stared, trying to decide if what she had seen was real.  How could she trust Lexa now?  Did she have a choice?

Taking a breath she fixed a heated stare at Lexa, pushing away her anger for now.  If things worked out, they had to, there would be time later for anger and she was going to show Lexa exactly what she thought of her decision.  “What’s the plan?”


End file.
